Transportation
Rep. Chu and other Los Angeles County Members of Congress at the Gold Line groundbreaking.
Los Angeles is one of the most congested and polluted counties in the nation. We need a transportation system that will improve the environment and create jobs. That’s why I am fighting to quickly expand our transit options and turn our region into a model for the 21st century.
Residents of the San Gabriel Valley commute miles to work and sit for hours in traffic. Our region deserves the same transportation options as the rest of the county: a light rail system, a robust bus network, and freeways with smooth interchanges and carpool lanes.
Here’s how I’m working to improve transportation and the most crucial projects benefitting the San Gabriel Valley:
Gold Line Foothill Extension
Gold Line Eastside Extension
Supporting the Alameda Corridor East (ACE) Project
Investing in Transportation Infrastructure
Gold Line Foothill Extension
I strongly believe we must complete the Gold Line Foothill Extension to connect Pasadena to Azusa through Arcadia, but also all the way to Glendora, Pomona, and Claremont - eventually ending at the Ontario Airport.
I knew I had to act when the Los Angeles County Transportation Board was going to pass a long-term plan to prevent the Gold Line from applying for federal funds or even completing the project early. In a move that MTA had not ever seen before, I helped convince 14 Congressmembers, both Democrats and Republicans, to sign a letter to urge MTA to permit the Gold Line to apply for federal funding. Afterwards, I wrote an editorial in the Los Angeles Times to raise awareness and convince board members to reconsider their position. Thanks to these actions, the board felt the pressure and finally voted to allow the Gold Line line to apply for federal funding and to complete the phase to Azusa early.
Later in June 2010, I proudly stood with a shovel in my hand to break ground on constructing the first Foothill Extension phase to Azusa and the line is expected to be completed in 2015.
But I am not giving up. The ½ cent sales tax approved in 2008 under Measure R provided $735 million for the Gold Line Foothill Extension to complete the line to Azusa by 2015. While this project will go a long way towards meeting the growing needs of the corridor cities, it’s not the end. More funding will be needed to complete the second phase to Montclair. I will continue fighting for state and federal funding until we complete this crucial project all the way to the Ontario International Airport.
Gold Line Eastside Extension
For years, East Los Angeles residents and beyond have had difficulty getting to work, visiting their friends and family, and running errands throughout the city. Even though East LA residents are three times more likely to take public transit than the rest of the County, they’re forced to endure long walks to the bus stop only to board overcrowded buses that travel slowly through the streets, in addition to transfer delays and long travel times.
The Eastside Gold Line Extension has been a success since its completion in 2009, but we can’t stop there. I am actively pushing to extend the line along the SR-60 all the way to El Monte and will fight to bring federal dollars to help build it.
Supporting the Alameda Corridor East (ACE) Project to make our streets safer and less congested.
Due to a significant increase in freight trains carrying containers from the Ports of Los Angeles, the San Gabriel Valley is faced with increased congestion, reduced safety, and negative environmental consequences. 20 rail-roadway grade separations and safety improvements were identified throughout the region to mitigate these impacts on San Gabriel Valley residents and streamline the transportation of goods from the ports onward. Both San Gabriel and El Monte have projects under construction. Studies show that without the ACE Project, traffic delays at crossings will increase by 300%.
I testified at a House Transportation Committee hearing on how important it was to devote a section of a new transportation bill to a national freight infrastructure investment program. This program would prioritize nationally significant projects, like the Alameda Corridor East. I also fought to secure federal funding for the ACE project through the federal grants process.
Investing in Transportation Infrastructure
In July 2012, I voted in favor of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (Map-21) – also known as the transportation reauthorization bill – that invests billions in our nation’s transportation infrastructure to create or save more than 2 million jobs. Building our transportation infrastructure is one of the best ways we can invest in our nation’s future and create jobs today.
Map-21 will greatly benefit transportation here in LA County. The legislation expands a federal program that provides loans and loan guarantees to public and private entities to help finance expensive and complex transportation projects like highways and transit projects. For Los Angeles, this means Metro can borrow funds at historically low interest rates and accelerate construction of the areas transit projects in 10 years instead of 30 years. I proudly supported this bill to get Southern Californians back to work and improve our region’s transportation system.
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